May We Meet in Another Life
by Varmint
Summary: Kiba had grown accustomed to not having a soulmate- and that was okay. He didn't need a soulmate in his life... He had once thought. Then Orochimaru attacks the Hidden Leaf Village and Kiba meets the second half he never thought even existed. For a moment, all he knew was love and hope. And then Tobirama died. Dark Soulmate AU! Character Death! Angst! Rare-pair.


A couple of days ago, I was reading a soulmate story and the thought struck me: _"I have yet to make a tragic soulmate story."_ So here it is! Tobirama/Kiba if their life was set to be a tragedy, rather than a slightly lighthearted drama.

This _will_ have an eventual happy ending. But it'll be bittersweet.

Warning(s): Character death. Angst. Huge AU from the story it is based on _'Reluctant Soulmate, Meet Adorable Soulmate'._

~..~..~

When they first met, the Hokage was locked in a heated battle against the First Hokage's reanimated body while a creepy snake guy cackled about his surefire victory over Konoha.

Kiba had been there because of pure coincidence. He was supposed to have been part of the crowd currently caught under genjutsu while Sand, Sound, and Leaf ninja fought over them. But he was up in the Kage's booth because of his damn inability to stay still. He was up there because he had wanted a better view of the fights and now he was hiding behind the rubble left behind by the Hokage's chair in the hopes that he did not fuck up.

If only he had listened to Hinata... Maybe then he wouldn't be a liability to the Hokage in what seemed to be the only fight the old man could _actually_ lose.

The Hokage was supposed to be unbeatable. Hell, he was supposed to be _untouchable._ He was _the Hokage_. _No one_ was able to touch him! Yet this snake... This snake had slithered into what was supposed to have been a great spectacle for the Hidden Leaf and now promised to destroy _everything_.

The Hokage's fear inundated his nose, letting him know just how perilous this whole situation was.

Knowing that he was a nuisance had made Kiba do his best to remain hidden and _not_ interrupt the Hokage during his work. So he had stayed in his place during the snake bastard's first onslaught and, once he had separated from the Hokage, the Inuzuka had remained far away. This plan of no obtrusion had worked for the most part... Until the snake had pulled out two coffins from the _ground_.

There were two bodies- two deceased Kage.

When Kiba's eyes fell on the ashen body of the Second Hokage, a fresh burning began in his left side. It wasn't a painful burn, though... It was more of a warm _glow_ , lighting up his side with comfort and affection.

"Huh? Sarutobi? What is the meaning of this?" The First Hokage's words were barely registered. Kiba was _hypnotized_ by stark red eyes.

And by the looks of it, the Second Hokage was just as enraptured- his eyes stayed locked on Kiba's own even as the Third Hokage answered the supposed-to-be-dead First Hokage.

For a second, everything was blissful. The chaos of the world around him fell away and Kiba knew nothing other than the Second Hokage- his alluring red eyes, his pale hair, his imposing _strength_.

That was ripped away from him with the harsh shout of, "What do you think you're doing? You are _mine_ to command!"

The Second Hokage refused to break eye contact with Kiba. Instead his eyes harshened and narrowed- but they continued to stare Kiba directly into his eyes.

"You are not worth my time."

Soon enough, all Kiba knew was _pain_.

~/~

When they first met, all Kiba could truly think about was _survival_.

He and Akamaru jumped from overgrown tree to overgrown tree, doing their best to dodge all of the First Hokage's attacks as the Second and Third Hokage fought him off and tried to find a way to reach Orochimaru.

"You have to end this, brother!"

"I am aware, Hashirama. You were not called God of Shinobi for nothing, you simple-minded buffoon!"

His soulmate had a sense of humor- even under duress.

Kiba found that he could see himself, in the future, with the Second Hokage by his side. He could imagine them together, as a couple or just friends, he would be happy with anything. He could see them trading snarky commentary on how stupid one of Kiba's friends was as they enjoyed some deliciously cooked steak. He could see a _future_ for them, even though he was currently doing his best to just _live._

He had never had a soulmate before... He had never felt this overwhelming sense of _hope_ either.

Was this what it felt like to know you had a soulmate out in the world, waiting for you?

It was a _great_ feeling.

"Destroy the pup, _Lord First_." Orochimaru's words dripped with poison, as deadly as the animal he emulated. "We shall see how talkative your brother is once he's allowed a child to die under his watch."

"Run, Kiba!" The Third Hokage shouted, just as a root shot out from where he had intended to land, causing him to scream out and lose his balance.

He had been climbing, running on all fours to reach higher and higher, away from the explosive ground below. He had done this to not accidentally caught in the crossfire between the fighting shinobi below. He had not wanted to be a nuisance. But now he was plummeting to the ground at break-neck speed and all he could properly think of doing was curling around Akamaru to try and keep his partner safe.

Mentally, he prepared himself as much as he could to die right then and there.

The cruel ground was not what met him. Instead, it was a warm body, a sharp armor digging uncomfortably into his back.

"I've got you!"

His soulmate's words washed over him and, at that moment, Kiba _knew_ everything would be fine.

~/~

When they first met, Tobirama felt his right side begin to light up in a way he had only ever _dreamt_ of. His eyes fell onto the Inuzuka child that was caught in the wrong place at the wrong time and his heart jumped into his throat- he needed to keep his soulmate _safe._

He did his best to help Sarutobi fight off his brother, but he was much too focused on making sure that his soulmate was alive and safe to be of any actual use. Then, when his soulmate almost _died_ , he completely lost sight of what was supposed to be his objective to instead save the child.

The admiration that burned in the boy's eyes as he looked up at him filled him with the strength he needed to take his brother down.

He placed the child on the ground, leaving him safely planted on his own two feet, and turned around to glare at the snake bastard that had started this whole mess.

"You _will_ pay for that." He growled, preparing himself to direct his attacks on _only_ this devil.

He had not had a soulmate in his past life. But now he had one. And he would rather _die_ than see him wounded.

The long haired man smirked, a cruel and predatory curling of his lips that would have made a weaker man stagger. But Tobirama merely braced himself to run at him with all of his might, ignoring Hiruzen and Hashirama to get to him.

His plans were dashed as soon as he heard a root snap behind his soulmate.

"No!" Hashirama shouted, but Tobirama did not think twice.

He dashed right in front of his soulmate, his back turned to the mass of wood that loomed over him, and pushed the boy onto the ground. He braced himself to get hit, but was not able to stop himself from being slammed into the ground by the wood that impaled him. He was able to throw his arms and knees out just in time to stop the attack from touching his soulmate.

The pain that sprouted through his body from being embedded by his brother's own attack felt like mere tickles when he saw the hope leaving his soulmate's eyes- replaced by tears and despair.

He needed to say _something_... He needed to dash away those negative emotions from his soulmate before he died for a second time.

"It looks like I never truly lived until this moment... Ironic, isn't it?" He struggled to breathe; he could feel blood beginning to fall from him and drip onto the Inuzuka below him.

Tears began to fall down tattooed cheeks.

Horror consumed all hope.

He needed to do better.

"I..." He forced himself to breathe, even as his throat burned and his body creaked and groaned. "I never had a soulmate to look forward to... This small moment I was able to spend with you... It is worth an eternity of being alone." Was he crying? He hadn't gotten hit on the head... The liquid falling down his cheeks and onto the Inuzuka must have been his own tears. "I love you."

~/~

When they first met, Tobirama did not entertain any thoughts on a possible life with his soulmate. Instead, he cherished the small amount of time he was able to see hope and wonder shining in those expressive eyes... And he despaired over the pain and horror that suddenly took control.

He had wanted nothing more than to save his soulmate of such horrible emotions...

As darkness loomed over him, engulfing him as it had before he had been awaken to this chaos, the only thing Tobirama could think about was hoping he would be able to get to know his soulmate in a third life.

~/~

When they first met, Kiba found all hope for good in the world dying with his soulmate.

The person that had once been so full of life now hung lifeless over him, thick crimson blood slowly oozing out of his pin cushioned body.

His soulmate had died protecting him.

He had been so weak that his soulmate had given his life for him.

He was crying.

He had his soulmate's blood on his body.

He had nothing left to live for.

Kiba could not, for the life of him, remember what happened after he had heard his soulmate's final words. Everything just turned... _Black_.

When he resurfaced from total obscurity, it was to find a world with three dead Kage, one dead snake, and blood coating his body. Akamaru was nowhere to be seen- but he could at least hear his pup and he knew he was alive.

The First Hokage had claw marks on his neck and face... As if he had been mauled by an animal.

Orochimaru and the Third Hokage had their eyes completely white, their pupils having rolled back, and their bodies were completely frozen.

For a moment, everything was still- as if suspended.

Then Kiba laid eyes on his soulmate... And he couldn't stop himself from running to him, clutching his lifeless body close to his own, and sobbing for the soulmate he had never expected and never gotten to know.

~/~

When they first met... Kiba wished for nothing more than to never have met his soulmate... If only to save himself from the heartbreak of having known how wonderful it was to have a second half... Only for it to be ripped away from him in less than an hour.

..~..~..

This'll be a short story with not so many chapters. And it'll be a very big AU from _'Reluctant Soulmate, Meet Adorable Soulmate'._ It will also be incredibly dark. And, yes, all changes in this story are deliberate. If any small details seem off when compared to the first story, it's because I decided to change them.

Please review!


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